Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device for displaying samples of a plurality of different materials to potential purchasers. The display device includes an array of display panels pivotally mounted to a first side of a rack. Underlying display panels of the array have free edges with material samples mounted thereon extending beyond free edges of overlying display panels. A story-board portion of the rack is only partially visible behind the array of display panels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisionalpatent application Ser. No. 10/072,032, filed Feb. 7, 2002; which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/318,422,filed Sep. 10, 2001; and a continuation-in-part of U.S. design patentapplication Ser. No. 29/195,008, filed Dec. 4, 2003; which applicationsare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for allpurposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to methods and devices fordisplaying products, materials and/or information; and relates moreparticularly to a display system utilizing display boards or palletcards of multiple and differing size and/or shape, and to associateddisplay methods, for improving the display presentation of floorcovering products or other materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, many types of materials and information such as carpet, woodflooring, laminate, vinyl, ceramic, rugs and other floor coveringproducts, wall-paper, paneling and paint, as well as associatedmarketing information, pricing, etc., are displayed on loose samples oron page or board-type displays referred to as pallet card displays orrack and board displays. Each pallet card typically displays one or moresamples of a floor covering product or other material and/or informationon one or both of its sides. The cards can be made of, for example, cardstock, wrapped card stock, hardboard, styrene, formed or molded plasticproducts, wood, metal, or other material(s). One or more such palletcards are typically attached to a display fixture or rack of some type,including but not limited to floor-standing or wall-mounted supportdevices using a short pin-long pin mounting method, rods, hinges, orother attachment means to secure the cards thereon. The display deviceusually has a single array of display cards, or one row of pallet cardsto a side, although in some instances, multi-tiered arrays of smallcards are used.

Typically all pallet cards in an array on the display device areapproximately the same size and shape, with card sizes commonly rangingfrom as small as 16″×16″ on small displays to as large as 24″×48″ largedisplays. Usually the long dimension forms the spine of the pallet card,which is pivotally mounted to the support device. While some currentdisplays are adjustable to allow use of card arrays of various sizes allknown systems use only one size card, both in height and width, on anyone array of the display.

It has been found that currently known display devices limit the abilityto display material or information on underlying cards of an array,since overlying cards of the array, typically being of about the samesize and shape as the underlying cards, cover substantially all of thesurface area of the underlying cards, and obscure the presence of anyinformation or other materials provided on fixed panels of the displaydevice's frame behind the array of cards. Although a viewer typicallycan pivot the overlying cards out of the way to view an underlying card,many viewers will not always put forth the time and effort to flipthrough an entire array to view the material on every one of the cards.Moreover, many “impulse” buyers will not even bother to approach adisplay if material they might be interested in is hidden from view byoverlying cards bearing material that they are not interested in.

Thus, it can be seen that needs exist for improved display devices andmethods of display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to display devices and methods forproviding improved display characteristics, greater ability to conveyinformation to customers, and being more user-friendly than previouslyknown display systems. The display device and method of the presentinvention assist both the customer and the dealer by making it easier toorganize and understand various product features. For example, productfeatures such as price points can be indicated and related to theconsumer and/or the dealer by a corresponding display feature such asthe size and/or shape of the display panel or board on which the productis mounted. The display device and method of the present invention alsoprovide improved visual impact and permit easier product comparison,allowing multiple types or styles of product to be viewedsimultaneously. Additionally, the dealer can more readily “trade up”when selling to a customer due to the ability to display larger-sizedsamples of more expensive product, and to explain and show multipleprice points for product based on a relation between pricing and displaypanel size. The display device and method of the present invention alsoenable a more focused impact display, wherein multiple samples ofvariations of the same type of material, for example samples of the samecarpet pattern in a spectrum of different colors, are displayed onpanels of the same display device.

In one aspect, the invention is a display device for displaying samplesof a plurality of different materials to potential purchasers. Thedisplay device of the present invention includes a rack comprising afixed body panel; a plurality of display panels detachably mounted tosaid rack, at least one of said plurality of display panels being ahinged panel pivotally movable between a first position overlying aportion of another of said plurality of panels, and a second positionnot overlying the other panel, each of said plurality of panelscomprising a free edge distal said rack, wherein the free edge of eachof the plurality of display panels extends beyond the free edge of anyoverlying panels when the panels are in the first position; and each ofsaid plurality of display panels having a material sample displayedthereon, each said material sample extending to the free edge of thepanel it is mounted on.

In another aspect, the invention is display device for displayingsamples of a plurality of different materials to potential purchasers.The present invention includes a rack having a base, a body panelextending generally upright from said base, and a story-board extendinglaterally from said body panel. An array of display panels is mounted tosaid rack, overlying a portion of the story-board such that thestory-board is only partially visible behind the array of displaypanels.

In still another aspect, the invention is a display device fordisplaying samples of a plurality of different materials to potentialpurchasers, wherein the present invention includes a first array ofdisplay panels pivotally mounted to a first side of a rack, and a secondarray of display panels pivotally mounted to a second side of the rack,wherein underlying display panels of each of the first and second arrayshave a free edges with material samples thereon extending beyond thefree edges of overlying display panels, and wherein story-board portionsof the rack are partially visible behind each of the first and secondarrays of display panels.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbe understood with reference to the drawing figures and detaileddescription herein, and will be realized by means of the variouselements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following brief description of the drawings anddetailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of theinvention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a display device according to oneexample form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a display device according to anotherexample form of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show perspective views of alternate forms of displaydevices.

FIG. 4 shows a set of display panels according to another example formof the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a set of display panels according to still another exampleform of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/orshown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments by way of example only and is notintended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as used in thespecification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or“approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or“approximately” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular valueand/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values areexpressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it willbe understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a display device 10 according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention. The device preferably comprises a rack 12, andone or more arrays or sets (two are shown) of at least two displaypanels 14 mounted to the rack. The rack 12 is optionally mounted to afixed body panel 18 having one or more support members such as legs orbase elements 16 for supporting the display device on a floor, wall orother support surface, affixed to the fixed body panel 15.Alternatively, the rack and the fixed body panel are combined into asingle component. The rack 12 also optionally comprises one or morefixed story-boards 19 extending laterally from the body panel 18 forsupporting the overlying array of display panels, and/or for applicationof material, information, marketing literature, and/or decorativeeffects.

At least one of the display panels 14 is preferably pivotally connectedto the rack 12 by one or more pivotal couplings 20, such as hinges, pincouplings, bearings, and/or other attachment means. The panel(s) 14 canbe pivotally connected directly to the rack 12, or pivotally connectedindirectly to the rack as by connection to another panel that is itselfdirectly or indirectly connected to the rack. Alternatively, the rack 12may be omitted, and the display panels pivotally connected to oneanother. Overlying panel(s) 14 are preferably pivotally connected to therack 12 or to an underlying panel 14, so that the overlying panel(s) canbe pivoted (as for example, in the manner of turning a page of a book)out of the way to allow the observer to view the entirety of theunderlying panel. For example, each panel 14 a-14 f, and 14 a′-14 f′,pivot between a first or “open” position overlying a portion of theimmediately adjacent underling panel, and a second or closed positionpermitting the entirely of the immediately adjacent underling panel tobe viewed by an observer facing the front of the device 10.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the rack 12 has afirst set or array of two or more display panels pivotally mounted to afirst side thereof, and a second array of two or more display panelspivotally mounted to a second side thereof; and a first story-board 19extending from one side of the base panel 15 and partially visiblebehind the first array of panels, and a second story-board 19 extendingfrom the other side of the base panel and partially visible behind thesecond array of panels. For example, the depicted embodiment comprisestwo arrays of panels, each array comprising six display panels 14 a, 14b, 14 c, 14 d, 14 e and 14 f, one array being arranged on a first sideof the rack 12, and the other array on a second side of the rack anddesignated with primes.

At least one of the display panels overlies at least a portion ofanother display panel, and preferably has at least one dimension that issmaller than a corresponding dimension of the underlying display panel.In preferred form, the entirety of the overlying display panel overliesthe underlying panel. Alternatively, only a portion of the overlyingpanel overlies the underlying panel, resulting in a partially offset oroverlapping array configuration. For example, in the embodiment of FIG.1, display panel 14 a overlies display panel 14 b, and display panel 14a has a height and a width less than the height and width, respectively,of display panel 14 b. Successive underlying display panels 14preferably each have at least one dimension that is larger than anoverlying panel, and/or have at least a portion extending beyond an edgeof an overlying panel, whereby a portion of each panel is visible to anobserver, even when underlying panels are partially covered by anoverlying panel. Preferably, if a plurality of panels 14 are provided,their sizes are proportionally stepped in increments from smaller tolarger. For example, in the depicted embodiment, panel 14 d is longerand wider than panel 14 c, panel 14 c is longer and wider than panel 14b, and panel 14 b is longer and wider than panel 14 a. In preferredforms, each panel is larger or smaller than an adjacent panel by anequal increment, or by progressively increasing or decreasingincrements.

Each pallet card14 preferably has a displayed material 22 affixed on oneor both sides thereof, which displayed material extends substantiallyall the way to the free edge of the pallet cards. In this manner, asubstantial portion of the displayed material affixed on all cards inthe array is visible to a viewer without the need for flipping throughthe array of cards. If the viewer wishes to see the entirety of anunderlying card, he or she can more easily locate the card of interestfrom its visible portion, and immediately flip the overlying card(s) outof the way of the card of interest. In further preferred and optionalembodiments of the invention, the size of the displayed material 22 thatis mounted on each card 14 of an array varies with the size of the card.For example, successively larger samples of displayed material 22 aremounted to successively larger (underlying) cards of each array. In thismanner, more substantial portions of the material 22 mounted onunderlying cards are visible to the potential customer.

In a further variation of this aspect of the invention, progressivelylarger cards (and correspondingly, larger sizes of the samples mountedto those cards) are used to display progressively more expensivematerials. In this manner, a sales professional can more effectivelycommunicate pricing information to potential customers, and identifydifferences in the sampled materials that may justify these costdifferences by means of a side-by-side comparison. It is also believedthat many customers will unconsciously relate a greater perceived valueto a material displayed with a greater sample size, and vice-versa.

The provision of one or more story-boards 19 that are only partiallyvisible behind the array of display panels (to an observer standing infront of the display device, with the array of panels 14 between theobserver and the story-board, as seen in FIG. 1), has been found to drawcustomers to the device, and subliminally encourage them to flip throughthe entire array of panels to discover what information or material waspreviously partially obscured by the panels. This provides a salespersonwith a natural opening to engage the potential customer, and it isbelieved that the more time and effort that a customer invests inreviewing the sampled materials, and the information on the displaydevice, the more likely he or she is to complete a purchase.

In various alternative embodiments, the display device of the presentinvention includes one or more sets of pallet cards that vary in size inat least one dimension (i.e., each card of a set has a height, widthand/or shape that differs from each other card in the set); and each setis preferably arranged in one or more arrays of cards, for example, fromsmaller to larger, presented a center out format, a left to rightformat, a right to left format and/or combinations thereof. In otherexample embodiments of the invention, pallet cards of the same heightare displayed in one or more arrays with varying widths from narrow towide presented in, for example, a center out format, left to rightformat, right to left format, and/or any combination thereof. In stillother embodiments, the display device of the present invention comprisesone or more vertical arrays of cards having the same or differentwidths, arrayed with longer cards behind shorter cards and/or one ormore arrays of cards arranged diagonally, offset at some angle from thehorizontal or the vertical, or in a curved or irregular array. In otherembodiments, cards of approximately the same height and/or width, buthaving differing shapes, are arranged to leave at least a portion of anunderlying card visible beneath an overlying card.

For example, FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a display device 110according to the present invention, wherein one or more arrays (two aredepicted) of panels 114 are pivotally connected to a rack 112 by one ormore couplings 120. Successive underlying display panels 114 a, 114 b,114 c and 114 d of about the same height preferably have incrementallylarger widths than their immediately overlying panel. The partly-openedposition of panel 114 a is indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2, forreference. Of course, it will be understood that the invention alsocomprehends an array of two or more display panels of about the samewidth, and with underlying panels having incrementally larger heightsthan their immediately overlying panel.

And although the depicted embodiments show rectangular display panels,the invention also includes cooperating sets or arrays of display panelswith other than rectangular shapes, such as for example, an array of twoor more triangular, rectangular, circular, oval and/or otherwise shapeddisplay panels wherein one panel has at least one dimension larger thana corresponding dimension of another panel. The two or moredifferently-sized display panels of an array can all have the same orsimilar shapes, or alternatively the array can comprise two or moredisplay panels each having a different shape, wherein at least a portionof an underlying panel extends beyond an adjacent overlying panel. Forexample, a circular panel of diameter d can overlie a square panelhaving a side width of d or greater, whereby at least the corners of theunderlying square panel extend beyond the overlying round panel and arethereby observable by a viewer. In still other embodiments, overlyingpanels define one or more openings through which portions of underlyingpanels are visible. Differently shaped panels of a set can beapproximately the same size, or alternatively can also differ in size.Likewise, differently sized panels of a set can have the same shape ordifferent shapes.

For example, FIG. 3A shows an additional alternate embodiment of thedisplay device 210 of the present invention, with display panels 214having radiused edges on their unattached or free sides. This embodimentincludes panels 214 a, 214 b, 214 c and 214 d wherein each successiveunderlying panel is progressively wider than its next adjacent overlyingpanel. The display device 310 of FIG. 3B, for comparison, includespanels 314 of generally the same size and shape, but laterally offset.

FIGS. 4 and 5, show representative sets of display panels 414 a, 414 b,414 c and 414 d, and 414 e, 414 f, 414 g and 414 h (FIG. 4), and 514 a,514 b, 514 c and 514 d, and 514 e, 514 f, 514 g and 514 h (FIG. 5),according to further embodiments of the invention. The embodiment ofFIG. 4 includes panels of different shapes, namely rectangular panelsand non-rectangular panels having upper and lower corner sections oftheir attached sides removed. Each successive underlying panel of theembodiment of FIG. 4 extends beyond an overlying panel on all threeunattached sides, producing a center-out, framed appearance. Theoverlying panels of the FIG. 5 embodiment are generally rectangular withone corner of their unattached sides removed, and the base panels 515 d,515 h are rectangular. Each successive underlying panel is longer andwider than its overlying panel, and the tops of all panels in each setare aligned.

Each display panel preferably comprises at least one display surface fordisplaying information or displayed material such as carpet, woodflooring, laminate, vinyl, ceramic, rugs, and other floor coveringproducts, wallpaper, paneling, paint, wrapping paper, fabric, paper,posterboard, roofing material, other coatings, objects or materials,and/or associated marketing information, pricing, etc. Optionally, eachdisplay panel may display more than one displayed material. For example,a single display panel optionally displays a sample of carpet and one ormore samples of paint in a coordinated color scheme. In another optionalalternate embodiment of the invention, adjacent display panels in a setdisplay different materials (e.g., carpet, wallpaper, roofing, paint andtrim color, etc.) in a coordinated color scheme. Preferably, eachdisplay panel comprises two display surfaces, one display surface oneach side of the panel.

The invention also comprises methods of displaying material and/orinformation. A first piece of material or information is preferablydisplayed on a first panel, and a second piece of material orinformation is preferably displayed on a second panel, with the materialor information preferably extending substantially to the free edge ofthe first and second panels. The second panel is coupled to the firstpanel whereby the second panel overlies at least a portion of the firstpanel. At least a portion of the first panel extends beyond an adjacentedge of the second panel, so that an observer can simultaneously view atleast a portion of the material or information displayed on each displaypanel without moving the second panel. The second panel preferably canbe moved (for example, by way of a hinge or other pivotal coupling) toallow the observer to view the entirety of the first panel. In similarfashion, the invention can be extended to a method of displayingmaterial on one or more arrays of three, four or more display panels,whereby each successive underlying display panel preferably has at leastone dimension that is larger than an overlying panel, such that aportion of each panel is visible to an observer, even when underlyingpanels are partially covered by an overlying panel.

The invention further includes a method of displaying samples ofdisplayed materials on display panels in an array. Larger panels of eacharray have larger samples of displayed materials mounted thereon.Optionally, the method includes displaying progressively more expensivematerials using progressively larger sample sizes. In another aspect,the invention comprises a method of displaying samples of material onone or more panels that partially overlie a story-board portion of adisplay device.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexample embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a number of modifications, additions and deletions are within thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

1. A display device for displaying samples of a plurality of differentmaterials to potential purchasers, said display device comprising: arack comprising a fixed body panel; a plurality of display panelsdetachably mounted to said rack, at least one of said plurality ofdisplay panels being a hinged panel pivotally movable between a firstposition overlying a portion of another of said plurality of panels, anda second position not overlying the other panel, each of said pluralityof panels comprising a free edge distal said rack, wherein the free edgeof each of the plurality of display panels extends beyond the free edgesof any overlying panels when the panels are in the first position; andeach of said plurality of display panels having a material sampledisplayed thereon, each said material sample extending to the free edgeof the panel it is mounted on.
 2. The display device of claim 1, whereineach of said plurality of display panels is mounted to the rack at aposition horizontally offset from an adjacent one of the plurality ofdisplay panels.
 3. The display device of claim 1, wherein each of saidplurality of display panels is wider than an adjacent overlying one ofthe plurality of display panels.
 4. The display device of claim 3,wherein the size of the material samples displayed on the panelsincreases with the size of the display panels.
 5. The display device ofclaim 1, wherein the size of the material samples increases with thecost of the material.
 6. The display device of claim 1, wherein eachmaterial sample is a sample of floor covering material.
 7. The displaydevice of claim 6, wherein the floor covering material is carpeting. 8.The display device of claim 1, wherein each material sample is a sampleof wall covering material.
 9. The display device of claim 1, whereinsaid rack comprises a story-board extending at least partially beyondperipheral edges of the plurality of display panels, said story-boarddisplaying information directed to potential purchasers of materialdisplayed on the device.
 10. The display device of claim 1, wherein afirst plurality of display panels is mounted to a first side of saidrack, and a second plurality of display panels is mounted to a secondside of said rack.
 11. A display device for displaying samples of aplurality of different materials to potential purchasers, said displaydevice comprising: a rack having a base, a body panel extendinggenerally upright from said base, and a story-board extending laterallyfrom said body panel; and an array of display panels mounted to saidrack and overlying a portion of the story-board such that saidstory-board is only partially visible behind the array of display panelsto an observer positioned in front of the display device with the arrayof display panels between the observer and the story-board.
 12. Thedisplay device of claim 11, wherein each of the display panels of saidarray is hingedly mounted to the rack, whereby the display panels can bepivotally moved between a first position supported against saidstory-board and a second position wherein substantially the entirestory-board is visible.
 13. The display device of claim 12, wherein eachof the display panels of said array has a free edge distal said rack anda material sample mounted thereon, the material sample extendingsubstantially to the free edge of the panel.
 14. The display device ofclaim 11, wherein the rack has a first story-board extending laterallyfrom a first side thereof, and a second story-board extending laterallyfrom a second side thereof.
 15. The display device of claim 14,comprising a first array of display panels mounted to said rack andoverlying a portion of the first story-board such that said firststory-board is only partially visible behind the first array of displaypanels, and a second array of display panels mounted to said rack andoverlying a portion of the second story-board such that said secondstory-board is only partially visible behind the second array of displaypanels.
 16. A display device for displaying samples of a plurality ofdifferent materials to potential purchasers, said display devicecomprising a first array of display panels pivotally mounted to a firstside of a rack, and a second array of display panels pivotally mountedto a second side of the rack, wherein underlying display panels of eachof the first and second arrays have free edges with material samplesthereon extending beyond free edges of overlying display panels, andwherein story-board portions of the rack are partially visible behindeach of the first and second arrays of display panels.
 17. The displaydevice of claim 16, wherein underlying display panels of each of thefirst and second arrays are progressively wider than adjacent overlyingdisplay panels.
 18. The display device of claim 17, wherein underlyingdisplay panels of each of the first and second arrays are progressivelytaller than adjacent overlying display panels.
 19. The display device ofclaim 16, wherein each display panel is pivotally mounted to the rack ata position horizontally offset from an adjacent display panel.
 20. Thedisplay device of claim 16, wherein the size of the material samplesdisplayed on the display panels increases with increasing material cost.